Circuit continuing means



Aug. 6, 1935. H. A. DOUGLAS CIRCUIT CONTINUING MEANS Filed May 9, 1932Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT 7 OFFICE This inventionrelates to circuit continuing means for an electric circuit, and, amongother objects, aims to provide an improved connection between a currentconducting wire and an electric lamp, for example.

In one aspect, the invention is inclusive of an integral conductorconstituting both a contact for the lamp and a terminal receiving sleevefor the wire, associated in a novel arrangement with a socket forreceiving the base of the lamp, the conductor assisting to retain thelamp in the socket.

I will explain the invention more fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved circuitcontinuing means, a holder therefor being shown in section, and a partof the socket being broken away for illustration;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure3, the lamp base and holder shown in Figure 1 being left out;

Figure 3 is an end view of the structure of Figure 2 but a wire and itsterminal included; and

Figure 4 is a partial section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the figures of the drawing,

I have shown a socket I which may comprise a metallic tube 2 provided atits forward end with one or more bayonet slots 3 at the inner end ofwhich are bayonet seats 4. At its rear end the tube 2 carries theinsulating member 5 which is generally cylindrical and of smallerdiameter than the internal diameter of the tube, the member 5 having aflange 6 over which lips I of the tube 2 are clinched to secure themember 5 rigidly to the tube, the flange 6 having continuations 8 whichextend between the lips I preventing relative rotation of the tube andmember 5.

Extending through and slidable in the insulating member 5 I have shown,in this instance, a plurality of rigid metal conductors 9. Each of theconductors 9 may comprise a solid cylindrical intermediate portion [0which has a bearing in a cylindrical aperture H in the member 5, themember 5 at this point being elongated longitudinally of the socket toprevent rocking of the conductor in its bearing, but permitting an axialmovement of the conductor therein. To limit this axial movement I mayprovide shoulders on the conductor, one of these shoulders provided bythe shoulder portion l2 in the form of a prismoidal enlargement at therear of the socket and the other shoulder portion by a flange l3 whichmay conveniently be spun out at the forward end of the conductor'afterthe cylindrical portion ID has been passed through the aperture H, theforward end of the conductor in the vi- 5 cinity of the flange [3 beingadvantageously drilled out as at M to facilitate the spinning of theflangez The shoulder portion of the conductor represented by the flangeportion l3 thus projects inwardly into the tube 2 and to urge thisportion forwardly of the socket I interpose a coil compression spring l5between the flange l3 and the insulating member 5. Thus the shoulderportion I2 of the conductor under the action of the spring 15 normallyabuts the insulating member 5.

' The shoulder portions I? are desirably of square cross-section and arereceived in a square pocket [6 at the rear of the member 5, one of thesides of this pocket being formed in a continuation ll of theinsulatingmember 5 which laps the shoulder portion I! for a substantialdistance and in this instance is interposed between the shoulderportions of the two conductors 9 here shown.

Each 0! the shoulder portions l2 and shoulder portions 13 ofthe'conductors 9 is adapted to provide an electrical contact and I havearranged contact securing means associated with each of these contacts.

The contact securing means associated with the shoulder portion I2 isshown in the iormoi terminal binding means here represented by aterminal receiving sleeve 18 integral with the shoulder portion [2 andadapted to receive a conventional bulbous shaped metallic terminal 19'constituting the terminal of an insulated wire 20. To yieldingly retainthe terminal IS in the sleeve I8, I have shown a dome-shaped detent 2|which projects into the interior of the sleeve l8 and is pressedthereinto by the small coil spring 22 interposed between a flangeportion 23 of the detent and the end of a spring barrel 24 also formedintegrally with the shoulder portion l2. The flange portion 23 limitsthe movement of the detent 2| outwardly of the spring barrel 24, but is45 slidable in the spring barrel to permit the detent to snap over thebulbous terminal I9. Thus the metallic terminal I 9 is pressed against acontact 25 formed by one side of the sleeve l8.

Since in the present exemplification I have shown two of the conductors9 passing in parallel relation through the insulating member 5, thesleeves ll! of these conductors are also parallel to each other butperpendicular to the conductors 9 and the continuation I! of theinsulating memher 5 serves not only as a guide for each of the shoulderportions I2 but also as an insulating barrier between the shoulderportions I2 and the terminals I9 received therein to prevent shortcircuits therebetween. The pockets I6 also prevent rotation of theconductors and maintain the sleeves I 8 parallel, while at the same timethe sleeves I8 project rearwardly of the socket outside of the member 5to have readily inserted therein the terminals I9.

Within the socket and at the forward ends of the conductors 9 the flangeportions I3 also provide contacts 26 and the tube 2 of the socket actsas a contact securing means since a circuit con"- tinuing plug such asthe base 2'! of an electric lamp 28 may be received and retainedtherein. The lamp base 27 may have the conventional bay onet projections29 which pass through the bayonet slots 3. The lamp base 21 hascomplementary contacts 30 thereon which are adapted to engage thecontacts 26 formed by the flange portions I3 of the conductors 9 whenthe lamp base is inserted into the socket and manipulated to cause thebayonet projections 29"to be received in the seats 4. The bayonetprojections 29 are passed through the slots 3 to be received in theseats 4 against the pressure of the coil springs I5 on the conductors 9and the conductors are thus slightly retracted as indicated at 3|, forexample,

, whereby the pressure of the springs I5 acting A through theconductorsand the contacts 26 and 33 maintain the projections 29 inclose assembly with the seats 4 and thus secure the lamp 28 in assemblywith the socket. v

The socket I with the lamp 28 assembled therewith and the terminals I9secured thereto as described may be mounted, for example, in acylindrical holder 32. To flx the position of the socket longitudinallyof the holder I have shown a spring pressed detent 33 carried by thewall of the socket through theintermediation of aspring barrel 34 whichis staked into the wall as at 35 and projects into the bore of thesocket. Since this spring barrel is located rearwardly of the; forwardends of the conductors 9, it does not i n terfere with the reception ofthe lamp base 21 in the socket. The relatively light coil spring 36bottomed in the spring barrel 33 presses against the flange portion 31of the detent 33 andurges the detent 33 radially of the socket toregister with a similarly shaped aperture 38in theholder 32, the'detent33 being depressible to be substantially flush with the wall of thesocket while the socket is being first inserted into the holder. Toassure a Snug assembly of the socket and bolder which will preventrocking of the socket in the holder, I may advantageously provide aspring tongue 39 struck out from and bent outwardly of the wall of thesocket to extend longitudinally thereof. Thus the spring tongue 39 willflex to permit the socket to be inserted in the holder, whereupon itwill press upon the interior of the holder and take up any play whichthere may be between the holder and the socket.

To prevent rocking of the lamp base 21 in the socket, I may also providethe forward end of the socket with a longitudinal slot 48 by reason ofwhich the forward end of the socket may be contracted slightly toprovide segmental spring portions GI between the slot 40 and the bayonetslots 3. The lamp base by slightly deflecting these spring portions asit is received in the socket will be thereby snugly gripped.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, I claim:

' Circuit continuing means embodying a socket comprising a generallycylindrical metallic tube, in combination with a generally cylindricalinsulating member secured exteriorly to one end of the tube andextending in axial relation therefrom, parallel cylindrical metallicspaced apart conductors slidably mounted in said member projecting fromboth sides thereof, the portions of said conductors within the tubeterminating in counterbored ends with the metal thereabout struckoutwardly to form annular flanges and surrounded by coil springs bearingagainst said flanges and face of said member to urge the conductorsinwardly of the tube and with the opposite ends extending exteriorly ofthe member rectangularly enlarged to form shoulders limiting the inwardmovement, the conductors with the enlarged rectangular portions providedwith parallel transverse apertures and spring pressed detents enteringtherein for the reception of removable bulbous electric conductorterminals forced over and held by said detents, the exterior surface ofsaid member extending inwardly from the periphery thereof countersunk toreceive said rectangular' shoulders to prevent rotative movement thereofand maintain the parallel relation of the axes of said terminalreceiving apertures during compression of the said springs, and adiametrical rib extending integrally from said exterior surface of saidmember countersunk longitudinally on each side to receive the adjacentflat faces of the enlarged conductor ends whereby said parallelrelationship will be maintained upon excessive outward movement of theconductors.

' HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

